


Revival

by Caiti (Caitriona_3)



Series: Mythology March [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Mythology - Freeform, mythology march
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-07
Updated: 2018-03-07
Packaged: 2019-03-28 02:33:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13894374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caitriona_3/pseuds/Caiti
Summary: If they wanted to move forward, she needed to share her greatest secret.





	Revival

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr prompt for Mythology March! heartsandwinter asked for Darcy/Clint & Phoenix

[ ](https://imgur.com/mvrtani)

Darcy leaned against her apartment window, staring out at what little she could see of the city through the gray rain. She could feel the bone-deep fatigue pulling at her. Her time drew near, but she needed to wait.

She needed to wait for Clint.

The two of them ‘met’ - if one could call it that - in New Mexico. He’d been the jack-booted thug who stayed on the rooftops, watching her as she watched him. Both of them filled with suspicion of the other. A more appropriate meeting came in New York after the whole attempted invasion . . . and this time they had the benefit of being on the same side. 

He’d avoided all of the civilians for a bit, still feeling guilty for what he did while under Loki’s control, but eventually they managed to start talking, finding some common ground on the topics of coffee, pizza, and dogs - both of them big fans of all three. Soon they moved on to friendship and eventually to romance.

Lately they’d grown serious about it - to the point that Natasha arranged for a lunch meeting . . . and if there was anything more terrifying than a shovel speech by a protective Black Widow, Darcy didn’t want to know.

But there remained one more hurdle in their relationship . . . if they wanted to move forward, she needed to share her greatest secret.

And she could only hope he would understand.

“Darcy?”

His voice brought a smile to her lips. “In here!”

She turned so she could watch him stride into the room, his movements managing to be both lazy and purposeful all at the same time. 

“Hey, sweetheart, what’s the-,” he began only to stop, eyes narrowing as his grin fell away. The sharp focus that first drew her attention back in New Mexico zeroed in on her and his pace quickened. “Baby?” Calloused hands took hold of her shoulders. “What’s the matter?”

“Nothing’s wrong.”

“Right.” Disbelief flooded his eyes and he continued to stare down at her. “Your eyes are dull and you look exhausted.” Clint touched a finger to her cheek. “You’ve also got a temperature.” He took hold of her chin. “You not feeling well?”

“Clint…” Her voice trailed off as fear began to flicker in those eyes she loved. 

“Talk to me, Darce.” He sat down on the couch, pulling her into his lap. She curled into him, her tired eyes falling shut as he pressed a quick kiss to her forehead. “Whatever it is, baby, we’ll take care of it.”

“I’m not sick.” One corner of her mouth pulled into a half smile as she felt the breath rush out of his lungs at her words. Hopefully the rest of this would go so well. “We’ve both got secrets,” she began.

“And mine are worse than yours,” he interrupted. “So-.”

“Hey.” Darcy pulled back, lifting a hand to press it against his chest. “Number one - you’ve never hidden from me, never once holding back that you’ve got dark places. I know that and it only bothers me in the suffering it causes you.” A tender smile curved his lips, prompting her to shift her touch so she could trace them. “Number two,” she continued, “while my secret’s not worse, it’s . . . weirder.” She wrinkled her nose. “A lot weirder.”

Now his lips twitched under her fingertips. Clint pulled back to give her an amused grin. “Weird?” he repeated. “Weirder than a guy surviving seventy years in the ice? Stranger than the scientist who’s rewriting the laws of physics with a rainbow bridge? Or a guy who has a habit of turning into a green giant?” One eyebrow arched up. “Or maybe an alien crash landing in New Mexico? No, wait,” he tilted his head as if considering. “Roswell’s out there, so maybe that’s not so odd.” She giggled and his arms tightened around her. “Darcy, we do the odd and the weird every single day.”

“Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”

“Yeah, kind of like that, Alice.” He tugged a lock of her hair. “Just put it out there.”

She took a deep breath, moistened her lips, and then… “Do you know know what a phoenix is?”

“A phoenix?” A wrinkle knit his brow as he stared down at her. “Like Fawkes?”

“Yeah, Harry, like Fawkes.” Her shoulders began to relax. Even now, nervous as she felt, he could make her laugh. “That’s one breed anyway.”

“There’s more than one?”

“Like weres,” she explained. “Everyone knows about werewolves, but there are more shapeshifters than just wolves.”

“Okay, so . . . what other kind of phoenixes are there?” 

Something that might have been a glint of understanding began to burn in his gaze, but she could see him waiting for her answer. His instincts - as an agent and an Avenger - had begun to make connections, but Clint would wait for her confirmation or denial.

“Everybody knows about the bird because they’re the most common,” she informed him. “Legends say that one phoenix fought with an evil warlock as she sought to protect her nest and the egg resting there.” Darcy leaned her head against his shoulder. “The bird won, but in his dying moment the warlock struck back - not at her, but at her egg. He cast a curse on it.”

“What happened?”

The words rumbled under her ear, comforting her. “When the egg hatched, instead of a chick, the phoenix found a baby girl - one human in appearance.”

“Must have been a surprise.”

Laughter bubbled up in her chest. “Probably,” she admitted. “But the phoenix did the best she could and found her unusual daughter a good human family. The girl grew up as a human, but one with odd gifts - gifts that fit her phoenix heritage.”

“Like what?” No disbelief or distrust colored his voice and his hand brushed down her hair.

“She could control fire to some extent, and . . . her tears could heal.”

“Ah! So Rowling got that right!”

“Yes, she did.” Darcy couldn’t help smiling at his enthusiasm. 

“And Burning Days? Is that true too?”

“Oh, yeah.” She lifted her head so she could meet his eyes. “Those too.”

Worry, concern, and awe filled his face, but he showed no fear. Darcy almost melted in relief when she realized he already believed her even though she still hadn’t actually confessed anything. He lifted a hand to brush his thumb over her cheek. “What happened to the girl?”

“She grew up and fell in love,” she replied. “After she shared her secret - and he still loved her, accepted her - they got married.”

“Good for them.”

“Eventually they had children . . . and every daughter in the family carried the power of the phoenix.” She felt the fire begin to glow in her eyes. “They still do.”

A long moment of silence passed between them as he looked at her. Then he leaned down, pressing a light kiss to her lips. “I always knew you were special, Darcy,” he murmured. “Just didn’t know how much.”

Collapsing against him with relief, Darcy felt the shiver running up her spine as her body trembled.

“Baby?”

“I need a Burning Day.” A sigh slipped from her as she responded to his apprehension. “And . . . you should probably see it.”

Now, after everything else, **now** he tensed. “Does it hurt?”

“Yes,” she allowed. Unhappiness thinned his lips, but she smoothed them out with her fingers. “But only a little, and it’s a . . . good hurt, like a cleansing.”

Understanding, but still unhappy, Clint stood in the doorway of her small meditation room. She felt a little exposed as she disrobed. It was silly - they shared a bed after all. But only Jane had ever witnessed a Burning Day - well, and JARVIS, but he’d agreed to keep her secret unless it put someone in danger. So yeah, this made her uncomfortable.

But she wanted to share this with him - the most personal, private side of herself.

Flames burned through her, the pain almost exquisite in its purification. First she curled in on herself, trying to relieve the pressure, but then she tossed back her head with a cry as it burst through her skin. Sparks spread around her almost like feathers in a fiery painting. Satisfaction filled her veins as she uncurled, stretching out her arms and arching her back with the sensation.

Then the rush faded.

She slipped back to the ground, each movement slow and dreamy. 

“Darcy?”

“Hmm.” Even her soft hum sounded drowsy. “Help me up?”

Strong hands lifted her, supporting her when her legs wanted to fold beneath her. “I feel so good,” she murmured. “Bet I look better now too.”

“God, baby, you’re gorgeous.”

“You always say that.” She rested her forehead against his chest. “I think you might be a little biased.”

“No,” he disagreed. “I’m a lot biased, but that…” His voice tapered off and she glanced up to find him watching her with stunned admiration. “That . . . that was beautiful.”

Tears pricked her eyes as she pushed up to brush her mouth over his. “Thank you.”

Admiration faded into tenderness and Clint bent over to sweep her up into his arms. “You still look tired,” he noted.

“I just need a nap, then I’ll be good as new . . . promise.”

“A nap sounds good.”

Curled up beside him in their bed, Darcy reveled in sensation of the rough skin of his fingers drawing patterns on her newly sensitized skin. A little sleep would finish off the renewal of her Burning, but after that? Oh, after that, she had such plans for them. Tilting her head, she pressed a kiss to the underside of his jaw. “Better rest up, handsome,” she warned. “I’m going to wear you out later.”

“Bring it.”


End file.
